UGC to set up int'l research office at every university
The proposed offices will facilitate international partnerships, joint research, student-teacher exchanges and access to global research funding, while helping build an academic diaspora network.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has taken initiative to establish an international research office in the country's every universities to develop their international capacity.
UGC Chairman Professor Dr Mamun Ahmed said this as the chief guest while addressing at 'Erusmus plus Info session' programme held at the UGC today (25 August).
The objective of the initiative is to connect the country's higher education closely with the international arena, enhance global assistance in research and innovation and develop international competence of the universities.
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In the context of the present world, the quality of the higher education, research capacity and international position of the university largely depend on the global network and institutional collaboration, Prof Mamun said.
"The UGC is working not only to develop the higher education institutes of Bangladesh separately rather as an active partner of the international education and research system," he told the function.
The establishment of these offices will facilitate institutional communication with foreign universities and research organisations, teacher-student exchange, joint research, dual degree programme, mobilizing international research funding and establish of joint research laboratories which would help to exploit the developed technology and expertise of the foreign universities for resolving the real problem of the country.
Regarding the talented Bangladeshis living abroad, the UGC chairman said: "We do not want to see only the 'brain drain' but initiative also has been taken to develop an 'academic Diaspora network' through building an effective communication between the working expatriates and the local universities through 'brain circulation'."
The formation of a permanent institutional structure needs in the universities aiming to make the international cooperation sustainable and continuous instead of person-centric, said UGC member Professor Dr Abdullah Al Mamun who spoke as the special guest.
The programme also was attended, among others, by UGC members Prof Dr Masuma Habib, Prof Dr M Mehedi Hasan Khan, Prof Dr Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury, UGC secretary Dr Fakhrul Islam, Erusmus Plus Asia region official Ashiqur Rahman, different public and private universities vice-chancellors, registers and representatives from the educational institutions.
